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News Archive

New name for church centre

Posted by Mark Elder on 5 Feb 2009

Following on from the conversation at our recent church meeting, and with increased expectation as the day of re-entry into our new building draws ever nearer... we’ve been doing some thinking about a new name. What should we call our new centre?

Naming buildings is important, because it creates an expectation of what you might find inside. Good names become synonymous with good buildings: think of the Sage, or St James’, or Alnwick Gardens. On a more local level we have Belle and Herbs. When you mention the name there’s instant recognition. So Belle and Herbs means decent nosh, unique ambience, world music, chairs that need re-upholstering (or fixing), all underscored with a student vibe, even if you’re not one. The values of the place are somehow reflected in the name. That’s what we’re after. And a name that’ll not be out of fashion in three years time.
So, resisting the temptation to call our new building the Big12 centre, whatever name we choose, my hope is that when people mention it, people instantly think of a welcoming, gracious, and hospitable place, full of generous, warm-hearted people, with a giant-sized dose of the presence of God.